Wales World Cup refereeing icon Clive Thomas has warned Fifa they risk making one of their biggest ever mistakes if they don’t take a stand against Luis Suarez’s alleged bite – and says they need to ban him for TWO YEARS if he’s found guilty.

And even then the respected Rhondda official reckons he could be lucky after insisting there is no place in the game for what appears to be the third time the Liverpool star has been caught sinking his teeth into an opponent.

Thomas was one of Fifa’s men in the middle the last time the World Cup was held in South America and was one of the millions shocked by the scenes in Brazil on Tuesday night when Uruguay ace Suarez appeared to bite Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder during their Group D clash, a game La Celeste won 1-0 to book progress to the knock-out stage.

But Thomas has made clear his views that the game’s world governing body cannot afford to ignore the need to hand out a huge punishment to Suarez if he is found guilty, urging Fifa not to duck a decision he says simply must be made.

“The referee (Mexico’s Marco Rodriguez) was in an extremely difficult situation, more so when Chiellini tried to show what had been done to him,” 1974 and 1978 World Cup referee Thomas told WalesOnline. “He could have acted on that alone and sent him off but it would have been unwise because you cannot act on the say-so of one player against another if you haven’t seen it yourself.

“Where the mistake has been made, I feel, was that immediately after the match a Fifa official and a doctor should have examined the Italian player to be sure of the evidence and his claims in case Suarez tries to defend himself and say he ran into him, which he appears to have done.

“What concerns me because of that is that Fifa could find a way out of making a decision they need to and taking action because the referee did not see it and the television evidence may not be 100% conclusive.

“Because if they allow him to get away with it, for me, it would be the worst decision in the history of football. Fifa have an opportunity, if proven he did it, to tell everybody that the game will not put up with these kind of actions. They need to ban him – and ban him for two years.”

That is thought to be the maximum punishment that is able to be sanctioned and a lengthy suspension is not being ruled out at present, one that could well exceed the previous record for a World Cup ban: an eight-game sentence handed out to Mauro Tassotti for a nose-breaking elbow on Luis Enrique in the Italy-Spain game at USA ‘94.

Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee can take action against players for “serious infringements which have escaped the match officials’ attention” with television evidence admissible. Having opened the investigation, the Uruguayan FA have been told they have until 9pm British time on Wednesday to respond.

And Thomas added: “If this happened in an amateur game and he was found guilty he would never play again. It is difficult with the legalities in the professional game because in doing that you would be taking away their livelihood.

“But the seriousness of the offence means Fifa have to take this opportunity and make a decision that shows that this cannot be tolerated – and for me that’s banning him for two years.

“This has not happened in isolation, there have been other examples. It is a shame because he is a player of immense talent, one I believe is one of the finest players in the world today, but something goes wrong with him at certain times and it cannot be allowed.

“Brendan Rodgers has done a fantastic job at Liverpool trying to change his attitude and manage him, but unfortunately it seems this brilliant player thinks he can do what he likes. He cannot.”

Former eferee Clive Thomas

The incident is the first major disciplinary controversy on what has been generally accepted as a superb World Cup, although Thomas has expressed his concern at what he describes as overly diplomatic refereeing.

That was not something Thomas was accused of during his career, least alone his infamous decision to blow for full-time before Brazil legend Zico found the net in a 1978 World Cup group game with Sweden with what would have been the matchwinner.

That moment came to mind in the recent Group E game between France and Switzerland when Karim Benzema was denied a last-gasp hat-trick goal when Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers signalled the end of the match just as the Real Madrid striker shot from outside the box.

And Thomas – dubbed ‘The Book’ during his whistle-blowing days with a nod to his law-adhering style – said: “You should always give it as you see it and I always found you will have immense respect when you do that.

“I will never forget that game; I came away afterwards and knew my World Cup career was over. I would not say I did not concern me because I wanted to referee at the very top and I would have liked to have had more games at that World Cup.

“But it did not worry me because I gave it as I saw it and that is the only thing you can do.

“The next morning, Argentinean television asked me whether I was hurt because (1974 World Cup final referee) Jack Taylor had said back in the UK that I had not been diplomatic by blowing for time when I did.

“I knew Jack – we were close friends – and I wasn’t hurt because he was right. I had never been diplomatic, I had only ever given what I saw. If you do not, it can cause serious problems because you make decisions you think other people want rather than what you believe and see is right.

“And during this tournament I think referees have been extremely diplomatic. They have kept their notebooks in their pocket because I believe that’s what Fifa want.

“But some of the tackles that have been committed and have been accepted worries me, especially on a stage like the World Cup.”